Improvement in ratchet-wrenches



M. VASSAR, 2a.. RATCHET-WRENCH.

Patented July 17, 1877.

rLPETEHS, PHOTO uTHDRAPHFJl. WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

MATTHEW VASSAR, 2D, OF BALLSTON SPA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET-WRENCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 193,301, dated July 17,1877; application filed April 3, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW VASSAR, 2d., of Ballston Spa, in the countyof Saratoga and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Ratchet- Wrenches; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is afnll, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of thisspecification.

The invention consists in a removable rotating socket or head,constructed to form the griping or holding portion of the wrench, andwith a through passage in direction of the axis of rotation, whereby anynumber of such rotating sockets or sleeves of different sizes may beapplied to the wrench, and the latter not only be adapted to bolt-heads,nuts, &c., of difi'erent dimensions, and the operating pawl or pawls ofthe wrench be brought to bear directly upon said removable rotatingsockets, but the socketed wrench may be slipped over a bolt, and thesquare or wrenchin g end of the socket be applied to the nut or otherpart it is designed to fit.

Figure l in the drawing is an exterior view of a wrench in a plane atright angles to its axis of rotation, and having my invention applied.Fig. 2 is a mainly sectional view thereof on the line .90 00; and Fig.3, asectionrot' the same, in part, on the line y y.

A is the handle of the wrench, formed with an eye, B, for the socket orhead 0 of the wrench to rotate in. The socket O is constructed to form asleeve, being made with a passage through it, one end, b, of which issquare or angular to take its gripe or hold on the article to be turned,and the other or opposite end 0 of which may be round or of any desiredform. This through construction of the socket admits of the wrenchcontaining it being slipped over a bolt, and the square or wrenching endI) of the socket being applied to the nut or other part it is designedto fit, while said socket, being removable from the eye B by sliding itendwise therefrom, allows of sockets of different internal dimensions,to

suit different sizes of work, being substituted therefor. Furthermore,said removable sockets or heads are provided on their exterior,

where they fit through the eye B of the handle, with teeth d, for thepawl or pawls of the wrench to directly engage with, thus dispensingwith a separate toothed head receiving the socket within it to effectthe rotation of the socket.

A locking-slide, D, on the handle, capable of being secured or liberatedby a set-screw, 0, serves, by its engagement with and disengagement froma collar, f, on the socket as against another collar or shoulder, g, onthe reverse side of the handle, to provide for the securing and removalof the socket, as required. 7

The rotation of the removable socket or head 0, within the eye B, iseffected, in either direction, by one or other of the spring-controlledpawls E E, on opposite sides of the handle A, according to which of saidpawls is put into gear with the teeth d of the socket or head 0, or bothpawls may be put into gear with the teeth d of the rotating socket orhead 0, to hold the latter from rotating except in concert with thehandle A. This reverse rotation of the socket or head of the wrench, orits joiht rotation with the handle of the latter, the utility of which,being well known, needs no special comment here, maybe effected by meansot'a cam, h, adjustable by button from the exterior of the handle, saidcam, accordingly as its point is turned to the right or to the left,allowing one or other of the pawls E to engage with the socket O, or, byturning its point in line with the length of the handle, allowing bothpawls to engage with said socket.

Each of these pawls, which are of a solid structure, fitting intorecesses in the handle and controlled by springs applied to their backs,is flattened or spread out at its forward end, and constructed to formtwo or more teeth, 8 s, which are pitched to engage,

when the pawls are thrown into gear, with a corresponding number ofteeth at on the rotating socket or head 0, whereby said pawls take anenlarged or diversified hold, and are prevented from stripping orslipping.

I claim- The combination of the removable .rotatiug socket or head 0,having teeth d on its exterior, and constructed with a through passagehaving open ends I) c, in combination with the eye B of the handle, anda locking slide or fastening, for holding the socket in positionlengthwise, but allowing of its free rotation within the eye B,substantially as specified.

MATTHEW VASSAR, 2ND.

